Is Jeffrey Loria the problem with the Marlins?

I thinkJefferyLoria is trying to channel is innerSteinbrenner. I believe he wasalso a Yankeefangrowing up so maybe he tookhiscuesfrom, "TheBoss."

Steinbrenner is famousforbothhispursuit of high-pricedfreeagentsand, in somecases, infamousforfeudingwiththem. In hisfirst 23 seasons, he changedmanagers 20 times (includingdismissingBillyMartin on fiveseparateoccasions), andgeneralmanagers 11 times in 30 years.

Well, exceptforthepursuit of thehighpricedfreeagents, everythingelse he seems to be up to speed on.

Therehavebeenfourmanagers in 8+ years of theLoriaera. FrediGonzalezbecomesthethirdmanagerfired by Loria. TheothersincludeJeffTorborgandJoeGirardi. JackMcKeonresigned by allmediaaccounts. Somebelieve he waspushedout, but that's neitherherenorthere.

Let's take a look at somehistory.

JeffTorborggetstheaxe. TraderJackcomes in andtheywin a championship.

Thenexttwoyears to hiscredit he brings in somehighpricedfreeagents, and it doesn't workout.

Let's fastforward to Augustwhere a youngMarlinsteam is in wildcardcontentionandLoriaberated an umpirewhilesittingbehindtheplate. Fromthedugout, Girarditold or askedtheowner to stop. LoriaangrilylefthisseatandconfrontedGirardiafterthegameduring a 90-minuteclubhousemeeting.

Loriahasdeclined to comment on theepisode or respond to publishedreportsthat he firedGirardi, thenchangedhismind.

EvenBrettFavrewouldcallthis a schism.

He laterfiresGirardi at theend of theseasonandtheemphasisforthechange is put on GirardiandBeinfastnotgettingalong.

That's truethatthey didn't getalong, but if you didn't thinkthat Loria's egowasthecatalystthenyouprobablybelieve in thetoothfairy.

Listenthisteam is prettygood. No one in theirrightmindoutside of theownerandthefrontofficethinksthisflawedteamSHOULDmaketheplayoffs in a divisionwiththetwotimedefendingNationalLeagueChampions in theirowndivision.

That's greatstart to theseasonhuh?

Thiswas a tickingtimebomb.

Unfortunately, forFredi he wasmadethescapegoatbecausetheowner won't spendthecash to makethisteam a contender.

HisGeneralManagerwhowhiffed on theMiguelCabreratrade is stillregarded as one of thebest in thegame. In spite of that, theman is not a miracleworker.